Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to the field of testing 10Base-T network links for problems, and, more particularly, to a portable testing device to test 10Base-T local area network links both from the wall to the computer and from the wall to the hub.
The problem with modern local area network installations tying one or more personal computers together with other devices via a hub and 10Base-T network links from the hub to the devices is in effective and cost efficient trouble shooting. When a problem occurs with a user's computer on a network, the user does not know whether the problem is with the computer, the hub or the connection of the computer to the hub via the local area network connection. Frequently, the user will wish to call a service representative to solve the problem. The difficulty is that the user does not know whether to call the service representatives for the computer or the hub or the company who installed the local area network wiring. Frequently, the service organizations have minimum charges which they charge for making the trip to the customer site even if there is nothing wrong with the particular item they were called to service when they get there. Thus, if the user thinks his or her personal computer is the problem but the problem is actually in the connection between the PC and the network outlet pod in the wall, the user will call a service technician for the PC only to find out that there is nothing wrong with the PC. The personal computer service technician will direct the user to contact the network hub manufacturer. The service technician for the network hub will then make the trip and tell the user to call the service technician for the network cabling. The user will therefore have to pay two minimum service charges before even getting the correct technician on the scene to solve the problem. The user will then also have to pay the service technician who actually solved the problem for whatever charges were incurred. Frequently, these minimum charges that the user will have to pay for service calls made on system components that were not defective are as high as $250 per visit. If the user is wrong as to where the problem lies, a substantial amount of money can be wasted before the problem is fixed.
Thus, a need has arisen for a simple network link tester which a user can use to determine if the problem is with his or her computer or the wiring/hub.